Guest Blog: Childcare for self-employed, single parents during lockdown

I wrote this blog for Freedom Childcare during the third Covid lockdown:

England’s third national lockdown came into force on 5th January 2021. A lot of us have found ourselves back at home with our children after sending them to school for one day on the 4th of Jan.

What are the rules for education under the new lockdown

Colleges, primary and secondary schools will remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will learn remotely until at least February half term.

Childcare and early years settings remain open including nurseries, childminders and nannies. If you need childcare during lockdown, grab your phone and get in touch with us and we will find a way to help you. Read on, if you can work from home and the childcare falls on you.

How to cope with homeschooling as a single-parent

During the first lockdown, I felt under immense pressure to keep working while my 10-year-old daughter was schooled at home by me. The result was a very stressed mother and a demotivated child that self-diagnosed herself with mild depression as the first lockdown continued.

This time things are different. I have finally realised that I cannot work at 100% capacity and home-school my child at the same time. Also, this time, my daughter’s school offers a much better online learning experience. School tasks are clearer and well structured and there is more interaction with teachers and other students via Google Classroom and Zoom. Our school day still lasts from 9 am to 3 pm on most days but we take longer breaks and when the weather is right, we leave our screens behind and go out to exercise in the fresh air.

I can still do my work, even if it has become less and I have taken advantage of the Self-employed Income Support Scheme (now closed but the scheme will re-open in March), which has been a huge help and a relief. We both are much happier and looking forward to spring when things will hopefully get back to normal.

Kasia Skibinska, author of this post runs Hampshire Websites Ltd., a web design and SEO company based in Lymington.